A Comeback, A Spark and A Confused Wiccan
by Supervixen
Summary: (Newly chapterized, parts 1-10) Picks up after Goodbye Iowa. Spike and Willow spark and Oz returns to Sunnydale. Adam is defeated.
1. Default Chapter Title

A/N: Okay, this story takes place after "Good Bye Iowa". Yes, many things will be quite  
different, but I've stuck to the main stuff here. No twisted Angel/Willow romances. In  
fact, staying true to the Buffy storyline, I do not even have Angel in here. So if you're  
looking for Buffy/Angel mush, you've come to the wrong place, my friends. However,  
since Joss is taking so long to bring Oz back, I'm doing it! Oh, also: there is no smut or  
graphic violence etc. in here. This is rated what it's rated due to language, mostly from  
everyone's favourite impotent, mean spirited vamp. That would be Spike, just in case you  
didn't get it. And finally, these characters belong to Joss...yhadda yhadda...happy reading.  
:)  
  
Willow was looking for something. She was trapped in her Oz's room in the house  
he shared with the band. She had checked under the bed, in the closet, in the drawers, she  
had gone through his clothes, riffled through the towels, but still hadn't found what she  
was looking for. Suddenly, the door behind her slammed and she turned. A bright smile lit  
her face as Oz walked in toward her, sharing her grin. But no, he wasn't smiling, he was  
baring his teeth...at her... Quite suddenly, she realized something was wrong, he was  
wrong. His teeth were too sharp...too long...he was hairy...a werewolf. He leapt for her  
throat just as she screamed.  
"Will...ow....."  
She could feel his teeth and claws tearing into her, shaking at her, ripping...scream!  
Scream! her brain cried. But no, that was wrong...now he was running away. But she  
didn't want him away, did she? Scream! Scream! Scream....  
"Willow!"  
She woke with a start, nearly falling out of bed. Where was she? Dorm room, her  
own. No werewolf. Just a concerned Buffy kneeling next to her.  
"Will, are you okay?" Buffy asked anxiously, "You screamed in your sleep..."  
"Yea..." she felt tears running down her cheeks and she angrily brushed them away  
with her fingers, "I-I'm okay....It was just..."  
"The dream?" Buffy finished for her, her face sympathetic and pained all at once,  
"I thought it was gone."  
Willow hugged her knees to her chest and rocked back and forth on her bed,  
"Yea...so did I," she whispered, "Buffy, why do I miss him so much?"  
A look flickered across Buffy's face, a pain of her own...but she smiled at the  
Wiccan.  
"It's understandable...he left very suddenly...without a goodbye..." the Slayer  
shook her head, sending her blond locks cascading down her back, "You'll get better.  
Don't' worry about it." She stood, brushing her knees off.  
"Oh..." Willow sighed, "What time is it?"  
Buffy glanced at the clock and grinned wryly, "5:42 am. We don't have classes  
until 9."  
Willow looked at her sheepishly, "I'm sorry. Bad timing for nightmares, I guess."  
The Slayer just shrugged good naturally, "Heartbreak has no timing," she said  
softly, snuggling back into her own bed. She looked at her roommate in surprise as the  
Wiccan stood and collected some clean clothes and her bath bag.  
"Where are you going?" Buffy asked quizzically.  
"I-I don't think I'll be able to sleep anymore," Willow replied with a small forced  
smile, "I think I'll just go take a shower, get dressed, do the whole morning thing and just  
walk around a bit. I don't think I'll be able to sleep anymore."  
Buffy gave a small nod as Willow disappeared out the door and sighed as she lay  
back in bed. She worried for the friend. Sure, she herself had mourned over Angel's  
leaving, but then, she had known it couldn't have ever worked. Not with their  
differences...but now and then she caught herself wondering if it had been the right thing.  
Should she have gone after him? Tried to stop him? The image of his walking away,  
through the smoke of the rubble and flames flashed painfully through her mind like a knife.  
She gave a violent shake of her head, Stop, she thought, You need to focus on  
Riley now. You love him, don't you? You want him to be better. To heal. Inside and out.  
She gave a shuddering sigh, rolled over in bed and within moments lapsed into a  
troubled sleep.  
***  
"Goooood morning, LA!" the clock radio atop a messy nightstand crackled to life  
and stirred the occupant of the bed next to it awake.   
Oz groaned and rolled out of bed with a thud. His head ached and he felt like hell.  
Too many long nights playing with the band, too much noise, too much of everything...He  
swatted at the sleep button of the clock, but missed.  
"...and on a more tragic note, in Sunnydale California just this week, the death of  
that viciously murdered little boy, now identified as Thomas Katylinar, is still under  
investigation. Rumor has it that government action has been taken.."  
Oz was groggy no longer, but quite awake. He had heard all he needed to. He  
threw on what he hoped was a clean tee shirt and went about digging around the messy  
room for some pants, noticing as he passed by the mirror, he was wearing the wolf boxers  
Willow had given him.  
Willow....his heart ached at the thought of her. Her soft, radiant red hair and how  
it gleamed in the sun, her soft laugh and bright smile that had always had such an affect on  
him. He felt so true...so pure with her.   
"And yet, I was staying here to keep her safe," he said aloud, laughing at the irony  
of it. Finally locating a pair of jeans, he hopped into them and grabbed his coat off the  
back of the door.  
Dashing outside into the bright sunlight of late morning, he climbed into the  
driver's seat of his van and patted the steering wheel affectionately. He started up the car  
and check his gas tank. Deciding it would suffice, he took one last look at the house.  
Without really assessing his situation, he rubbed his hands together, Well, so long, LA,  
hellloo Sunnydale, he said silently before pressing the gas down.  
***  
"... 'Aven't had a bloody girl in...seems like years..." Spike had stormed into  
Gile's home, as usual, uninvited and unannounced, where the Scooby Gang had already  
been located. It seemed he had fallen into one of his fits of depression again and the group  
was forced to listen to his rant.  
Giles sighed as he entered the room with his tray of tea and books, "Spike...as  
always, a pleasure."  
"... 'Aven't even kissed a gell in...forever..." he sighed and slumped down onto a  
chair and glared at Xander, "pizza/nutrition bar-boy over there gets more than I do."  
"You shouldn't talk so vulgar." Anya deadpanned.  
Spike give her a look, "Since when has demon girl picked up manners?"  
"Xander said I shouldn't swear," Anya replied.  
Xander shrugged, "She screamed a very...explicit...word in the middle of Noodle  
Kidoodle at the mall,"  
"And you were in Noodle Kidoodle...why?" Buffy asked.  
"He was trading insults with a 3 year old in some other store. We followed him."  
Anya said.  
"Hey! He called me a poop head out of the blue!" Xander protested.  
"And will those of us with maturity levels past the second grade please step  
forward?" Buffy sighed.  
"Hey, hey, back to my problems!" Spike snapped.  
"Why don't you go find some vampwoman of the night, or are even the  
demon-whores avoiding you like the plague?" Xander asked.  
Spike didn't seem to be listening, just rubbed his forehead with one hand, "I mean,  
why did this have to happen to me? I'm not even 2 centuries old yet! I still like killing! I  
should be out there smoking bad stuff, drinking the blood of women, living the life of a  
bad boy with some chic at my side..."  
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, you're really good looking for your age. I  
mean, you don't look a day over 28..." Willow fell silent under Spike's intense glare. She  
shrugged, "Just trying to help."  
"Yea, thanks a lot, Red." he retorted.  
Suddenly, Willow stood. A look of anger crossed her face and she marched up to  
Spike and pulled the surprised vamp to his feet.  
"Why don't you stop moping and start moving on?! Get over it! You need to do  
something...go discover who you are! Take up...knitting or...sheep farming. Something!  
You're just like...just like...." her voice faded, "Me...Oh, what's happening to me?" she  
backed away from Spike, tears filling her green eyes. To her surprise, Spike lifted her chin up so that their gazes met,   
"Hey, don't you worry about Dog-Boy, Red. You're right, we both need to move  
on." he left one of his cold fingers trace her cheek bone. It paused, as though hesitant and uncertain as to what it was doing there, below her eye. Then he let his hand fall back to his side.   
He turned to look back at the rest of the Scooby Gang who were staring at his, eyes  
and mouths wide open. Willow was the only one looking away, her cheeks a pleasant  
shade of rose.  
"What?" he finally barked. Xander's mouth was pressed in a very firm line, his eyes  
desperately bright with tears of laughter. Anya had an eyebrow raised. Giles's forehead  
was wet with sweat and he quickly bent down to dust invisible dust off of his coffee table. Buffy's eyes were wide enough to match her mouth which hung open.   
"What's so funny?!"  
Spike looked at them again, then back at Willow who still wasn't looking at him,  
then grabbed his duster off the hook, covered himself with it and dashed out the door.  
***  
"Don't wanna talk about it, I say why not? don't wanna think about it, I say there's got  
to be some good reason for your little black backpack, upsmack, turn around he's on his  
back and...don't wanna tango with you, I'd rather tangle with him...I think I'm gonna  
bash his head in..be sure to concern you except that just don't expect to get your bloody black backpack back...."  
Oz turned the radio up as he sped along the lonely highway. Only a little while  
longer, Willow...only a little while longer....  
His mind wandered, taking steps down memory lane. He remembered meeting her  
for the first time...falling for her and mooning over her...their first date...how he'd ached  
to kiss her, but hadn't....how she had found out about his transformations...how she'd still liked him...how she'd kissed him...the way it felt to be with her...by her...then, he cheating with Xander...but how they'd bounced back...moving onward in school...how he'd held her in his arms-a perfect fit...the scent of her hair...graduating, the horror and  
fear...protecting her...her protecting him...him killing Veruca for her...him turning on  
her...and finally, him leaving, the look of desperation and fear and pain on her lovely  
face...  
But he was coming back to it all. Now..  


To Be Continued....  



	2. Default Chapter Title

A/N: These characters belong to Joss. They are not mine in anyway (but I can still dream, can't I?) yhadda yhadda. Happy Reading. :)=  
  
Spike sighed and lit another cigarette, tossing the burnt out butt of the last one into the growing pile on the floor beside him. He stared at the muted TV, letting the smoke run out his nostrils and curl about his face like ghostly snakes.  
"Dammit, Spike, you're getting soft," he barked out a laugh and shook his head, waving the cigarette around in the air, "What in bloody Hell's name was that yesterday?" he laughed again and tried to shake away the memory...his finger tracing the delicate arch of her cheek bone, his cold hands on her face...  
A soft, cautious knocking at the door interrupted his thoughts. He hoped off his "bed" and stomped the cancer stick out on the cold floor.  
"Who's there?"  
In response, the door opened and in stepped...Willow, holding two heavy looking bags.  
"Red?" he blurted, "What the hell are you doing here?" instinctively, he moved to help her with the bags, but she pulled them away and sat them atop a coffin.  
"You know, most people say 'come in' and 'nice to see you,' not 'who's there?' and 'what the hell are you doing here,'" she said, miffed.  
"Sorry...didn't mean to be...rude," he said, stepping behind her to look over her shoulder at the bags. He languished in the moment, tracing the elegant curve of her neck with his eyes and inhaling the faint, sweet smell of her shampoo. She turned suddenly and jumped, startled to see him so close. He quickly stepped back and looked away.  
"So, what's in the bags?" he asked, still staring at the floor intently.  
She pulled something out of one of the bags, "Well...I know it's hard for you to get out a lot-" she paused, checking to see if she had offended him. His face was passive so she continued, "So I stopped by the butcher's shop and picked you up some cow and pig blood. I wasn't sure which one you prefer, so I got equal amounts of both and put them in these cute little labeled packets."  
He walked back toward her to survey her work. She looked up at him eagerly, chewing on her bottom lip. He was careful not to show any emotion, but instead inquired,   
"What'd the butcher say?"  
Willow smiled and shrugged, "I told him I was having guests over for a French dinner, he turned kinda green when I asked for blood and didn't really talk after that," she paused, "maybe he should look into a different field."  
Spike nodded slightly and glanced at the second bag, "What's in there?"  
"Oh..." she blushed slightly, "I heard Giles say that you said your apartment quote 'could use a woman's touch'" she shrugged and brushed some loose strands of auburn hair from her face, "I'm a woman...well, I mean, compared to your age, I'm not, but you know what I mean...and I have touch. So I brought some paint and stuff..." she chewed on a fingernail.  
He stood silent for a moment as she watched him, quiet, eyes eager. Then his face broke into a smile, "Well, Red, I think you deserve a reward..." he stepped closer to her, leaning in close.   
Quite suddenly, she jumped to the side, causing him to stumble. She pretended not to notice, but instead focused on the muted TV.  
"Hey! Your TV's all better!" she yelped, her voice high and nervous.  
"Yea...Xander gave me some greasy guy's number..." he said, fixing her with a confused look. But before he could say anything more, she burst out again.  
"You're watching QVC?! I mean, it's, " she glanced at her watch, "2 in the afternoon! Passions is on! You shouldn't be watching this junk, it's like a perpetual commercial. No one watches this but moms and gay guys*" she said, picking up the remote and playing with it, "I mean, I'm not implying that you're gay...Of course, if you are, gay's okay! I mean..."  
He stared intensely at her and walked closer, holding her gaze. She stopped talking and looked back at him, a mixture of fear and longing in her green eyes. He bent down, close to her face,  
"I'm not gay," he said with a smile, "and I can prove it to you if you'd like."  
"Umm...sounds very tempting, but I'll.....see you later!" with that she swept out the door.  
Spike plunked down on his makeshift bed and lit another cigarette.  
"Damn."  


***  


Oz kicked at one of his tires as he filled up the gas tank of the van. He sighed and looked around, squinting in the brilliant sunlight. He shucked his jacket into the passenger seat and stretched. It had been unseasonably warm this year.   
His surroundings were becoming familiar...he was close on entering Sunnydale. With one final sip of his soda, he chucked it into a bottle bin and hopped into the drivers seat, gunning up the engine.   
The sounds of Third Eye Blind's "I'll Never Let You Go" met his ears.   
He smiled to himself. When he got back to Willow, he's never let her go again.  
Turning onto the road, he paused to think for a moment...Perhaps she'd have a new love? A boyfriend? His spirits sagged at the very thought...what if she didn't love him anymore? What if he'd been away to long?  
He hesitated, then shrugged, perhaps. But he was willing to fight to get her back...  


TBC  


  
  
*I have nothing against gays, in fact most gay people I've met, I like. One of best friend is a homosexual. Please don't flame me!   



	3. Default Chapter Title

A/N: Okay, usual disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me they are strictly Joss's etc. etc. Um...well, as usual, no smut, no excessive violence or language...Oh, and feedback would totally be appreciated. I haven't gotten much. You hear that people? Review!!! :)=  
  
Buffy gave a sigh and shouldered her bag as she walked out of Stevenson hall into the brilliant light of day. Willow had been confusing her lately. Buffy frowned as the odd conversation that had occurred between them just moments ago replayed in her mind:  
Willow had rushed into the dorm room, looking flustered and rather red in the face as Buffy was getting ready to head out,   
"Hey Will, have you been running?" Buffy asked casually, not bothering to look up from painting her toenails a deep shade of crimson.  
"Uh, n-no, why?" the Wiccan had replied.  
"Well, you sound out of breath," Buffy shrugged, looking up from admiring her work.  
"Oh...well, you know...just walking far and stuff...I went uh...shopping, walked" she stuttered.  
"Really? What'd you buy?" Buffy asked eagerly, slipping her sandals on carefully over the just dry nails, finally giving Willow her full attention.  
"Um, I went...grocery shopping for...Xander...he wanted some...artichokes,"   
Buffy looked at her incredulously, "Xander and artichokes in the same sentence...wow, that's just weird."  
"Yea...isn't it though?" Willow's laugh was short and forced. Buffy couldn't help but notice she had neatly overstepped the question.  
"Mmmhmm...well, I was going to head out to Giles's...you know, maybe get some research done on where Riley could be...you coming?" Buffy asked.  
"Uh..yea, of course. Just..I'll be there right away, you, you go on without me."  
"Okay then," Buffy said carefully, "see you soon."  
"Yea. Soon."  
Buffy shrugged the memory off and decided that whatever Willow was hiding would have to surface on it's own. As she turned the corner around the building, she thought it must be something to do with the disappearance of-  
"Oz!"  
Buffy gaped in disbelief at the man who had stopped short at the sight of her.  
"Hi, Buffy. Will around?" Oz managed to "casually" say.  
Buffy wasn't sure whether to hug or strangle him...she was certain Willow would feel the same way...  
"That's all you can say?!" she cried, "after all the heartbreak and...and pain you put her through?"  


***  


Spike slid off his bed and let his cigarette fall to the ground. He growled and stamped it out with his foot. What had he done wrong? After over a century of seducing women (and being dumped for fungus demons by women, a little voice in his head reminded him) why wasn't he able to kiss Willow?  
He barked out a laugh at the thought of it, little Willow Rosenberg...of all people. Certainly, she was okay...but not exactly a hard-to-get-temptress. Was she playing games with him? Well, if she was, they were damn good. All he could think about was her.   
He paced around in the crypt. Still daylight, only around 3:30 PM...  
"Dammit, why does Sunnydale have to be so bloody...sunny?!" he ranted to no one.  
With a final sigh of frustration, he decided he'd have to take his chances. He grabbed his duster, pulled it over his head and ran out the door toward Stevenson Hall...  


***  


Willow sighed dejectedly and plopped down on her bed, thinking of things to do...Go see Giles like she told Buffy? Later...that could wait until her spell of depression was over. The last thing she needed was the robotic sympathy her friends would shower her with. Spells with Tara? No, not now...Her eyes roamed the room for something...   
Then she found it. She laughed out loud at how absurd it was....All she wanted to do really was watch TV.   
She looked around for the remote, but failed to locate it. She checked under the bed, in Buffy's rumpled sheets, under Mr. Gordo and finally opened the drawer of her nightstand. Her hand bumped into something hard and instinctively, she pulled it out.  
Her breath caught in her throat and she felt the welling of deep depression within her stomach as she looked at what was in her hands. It was a frame, holding an immortalized memory in a picture. It had been taken by the beach, several weeks after she and Oz had gotten together. He was holding her close to him, smiling his half smile. His grin reminded her of happier times...  
Tears began to wet her cheeks. In fury, she roughly blinked and wiped them away.  
"Not anymore!" she screamed and with one thrust of an arm, whipped the picture away.  
It sailed toward the door and crashed right into Spike's face as he entered.  
"Ha! Bloody hell!" he clutched his forehead and left eye and cursed again.  
"Oh no! Oh my...oh...Spike! Are you okay?" Willow stood and ran over to him. He let go of his forehead, blinked rapidly for a moment then gazed at her with a grin on his face and admiration shining out of his eyes, "Damn, you've got a good arm on you there, Red..."  
She felt herself melt and couldn't help but smile back. Her amusement disappeared though, as he bent down to investigate what he had gotten bashed in the head with.  
His face hardened as he looked from the picture to her tear streaked face and back again. Then, quite suddenly, he took the picture and crushed it with his hand, frame and all.  
Willow gasped and started at him, "Why---?"  
He put a finger over her lips, silencing her. She gave a ragged breath, feeling the cold of his skin against hers.  
"You need to let go, love. Stop the memories."  
"I-I was looking for the TV remote control..." she began, but her face crumpled and she found herself sobbing.  
Spike looked at her, his face passive. But on the inside, he felt her pain, could see it all. He took her in his arms and let her bury her face into his shirt as she wept.  


***  


Buffy glared at Oz, "You know how much she has cried over you?"  
"Look, Buffy, I didn't want to hurt her. I knew I would, but I wanted her safe."  
"Do you think she'd rather be safe without you and in perfect misery or have a slight chance of danger with you? Oz, you're the one who she learned from, when you guys started going out..." Buffy couldn't help but laugh, "She was so happy...she changed. The real Willow came out. You gave her strength. You're her shoulder to lean on....She loves you more than you'll ever know..."  
"But I know. That's why I'm back."  
Buffy's angry look melted into a smile, "Go on up to our room. The door should be open...But I warn you, she could either smack or kiss you."  
"I wouldn't blame her for the former," Oz replied, "and uh, thanks, Buffy."  
"You deserve her. You really do." The Slayer replied simply.  
"No. I really don't," he said. Then, without another word, he disappeared into Stevenson hall.  
"Good luck..." Buffy whispered behind him. She wondered if she should follow, but no. Will and Oz needed their time together alone. She should tell Xander and Giles first. And Anya, if she cared. Buffy felt hesitant for a moment...should she have told Oz about Riley and the Initiative and all they knew? And what of Spike's impotence and his taking up with the Scooby Gang? No...that could all wait.   


***  


Willow felt her tears gushing out her eyes, soaking Spike's shirt. But he didn't seem to notice or care. She finally broke away and wiped her eyes sheepishly.  
"I'm so sorry...I just...don't know what came over me..." she staggered over and sat on her bed, quivering.  
"It's going to be okay now, I promise you." Spike whispered, taking her hand and leading her closer to him. She felt his icy lips close to ear as he spoke, "Don't worry, Red, it's going to be okay," he repeated, "as long as we're together..."   
Then, without another word, he pulled her to him and kissed her long on the lips.  


***  


Oz hurried down the hall and paused, wondering if he should knock first before entering. Finally, he just reached for the knob and turned, opening the door cautiously. Inside, he saw Willow. Willow in the clutches of their mortal enemy Spike.   
"Will!"   
She spun about and he could see Spike's lips upon her neck.  
He paled, had he returned only to see her drained and killed?   
Looking sideways, he saw Buffy's duffel bag atop the desk. Without a second thought, he grabbed a sharp stake out of it and whipped it at Spike's heart as Willow screamed.  


TBC....  


  
  
  



	4. Default Chapter Title

A/N: Okay. I have checked the statistics on all my stories. How is it possible that 56 people can read a fic and not a single one of them review it?! I mean, we're not asking for essays, people, just a sentence (i.e., "This rules," "this sucks," "this author should shut up for once...") Whatever. Well, I did get some response last time! And not just 1 review, no, but 2! We're making progress. Carpe Diem or if you're a vamp, Carpe Nocturne or something like that and Happy Reading. :)=  
  
"Oz!" Willow screamed as Spike staggered in her arms, "What the hell?!" she turned her attention from a shaking Oz back to the vampire, "Omigod...omigod, Spike!"  
"Uh..." he grunted, "S'okay...okay...narrowly missed my heart, bloody bastard," feeling better knowing he wasn't about to turn into dust, he whirled to face a very bewildered Oz.  
"Will...he...he turned you..." Oz said, aghast. His face paled but he bravely reached for another stake in Buffy's duffel bag.  
"No! No!" Willow ran over and grabbed his wrist, "No! I-I can explain. It's a long story...you see, well, you know those commando guys...?"  


***  


Buffy rushed into Giles's house and was greeted by the sight of her former watcher, Xander and Anya pouring over a sort of map at the coffee table. Hearing her enter, they all turned.  
Xander was the first to speak, "hey, Buff, we have some places plotted out on this map but-"   
"Oz is back," Buffy interrupted.  
"What?!" Xander nearly fell off the couch, "He's back? Does Will know?"  
Buffy smiled grimly, "When I left, he was going up to see her."  
Xander mock winced, "and just how hard do you think she's going to smack him?"  
Anya looked up at him, "I thought you said smacking was a good thing."  
"Anya..." Xander began.  
"Oh dear..." Giles said, saving Xander from his awkward situation, "Oz is going to see Willow now?"  
"Yes, why?" Buffy asked cautiously.  
Giles paused to clean his glasses on his shirt, "Ah, well..." he chuckled, "It's a rather embarrassing situation but, ah, well, Spike stopped in a few minutes before Xander and Anya came and, well, he apparently has a "thing" for Willow." He cleared his throat, "He, um, wanted my advice, so I told him to go seek her...of course, he told me to never tell anyone about our encounter or he would make sure I would pay despite the fact that..."  
But by now, no one was listening.  
"I knew it!" Buffy laughed and tried to hit the couch for emphasis, but accidentally missed and punched Xander in the back.  
"OW!" Xander yelped, but he too couldn't keep a grin off of his face.  
"So, it would be nice if-" Giles began.  
"Wait..If Spike is there...and Oz is there...and Oz doesn't know...Omigod!" Buffy leaped up, grabbed her bag and headed toward the door, "This is soo not a good thing."  
Xander and Anya followed, "We'd better hurry," the former said with urgency in his voice. The three quickly exited, leaving Giles quite alone.  
"Just don't tell Spike what I told you..." Giles said meekly.  


***  


Oz looked from Willow to Spike and back to Willow. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Riley...Initiative...  
"So Spike's virtually impotent?" he asked.  
"Hey, I resent that word. I can kick demon ass. I'm back. How many bloody times do I have to say that?!" Spike demanded angrily. He paced around.  
"In a matter of speaking yes..." Willow said, still not believing Oz was there. She longed to reach out and touch him, make sure he was real.  
"Then what happened? I mean, it sure looked like he was draining you, I saw his mouth on you---" he stopped, jaw slack, "Omigod....."  
Willow stood as he did and caught his arm, "Oz...I-I had..."  
"She's moved on. You left, she's not gonna wait." Spike interrupted.  
Willow sighed and wished she could just sit down somewhere and massage her temples.  
"Spike....could you just leave for a second, I think I need to talk with Oz," she finally said.  
He flashed her a look. It was hard to decipher, but Willow definitely saw some human pain and wished she hadn't sounded so harsh.  
"Spike, I didn't mean it that-"  
But he headed toward the door, letting his duster swish behind him dramatically, "No, I get it. I understand." It seemed to her that he was trying to convince himself as much as he was her. The door closed firmly behind him and Willow turned to face Oz, a mixture of emotions on her own face. She opened her mouth to speak, but...  
In rushed Buffy, Xander and Anya along with Spike.  
"I didn't let them in!" Spike called.  
Willow gazed from her friends to Oz to Spike.   
Oz...the person she had considered her friend and one true love for so long...he had always brought so much out of her. He meant so much....   
And Spike...what was Spike to her? A mortal enemy, a vicious vampire, someone who may kill her if he ever got the chance. But he started something within her...a longing, really.  
She looked at all of them again and just burst out laughing. Who would've thought, Willow Rosenberg, the geeky 10th grade computer nerd with the bad clothes and bad hair would grow to be Willow Rosenberg, the fairly well adjusted college freshman with experience, brains and a new found confidence, loved by these two me...well, er...people.  
_Yea...if only you could see me now, Cordelia...Mom...  
_She surfaced out of her thoughts and focused back on her friends.  
"...maybe she's just really confused..." Buffy was saying.  
"Confused is a gross understatement, Buffy..." she sighed.  
"See, she's nuts," Anya insisted.  
"C'mon you guys, let's all just leave her alone for a moment..." Buffy said, beginning to usher everyone out the door. Both Oz and Spike protested momentarily, but stopped when they saw the look on Buffy's face. They each gave Willow one last look and shot each other nasty ones as well.  
The door clicked shut and Willow finally collapsed back onto her bed with a deep sigh.   
_Dear Diary_, she thought to herself with a rueful laugh,_ this is one very confused Wiccan...  
_

TBC  



	5. Default Chapter Title

A/N: Yea! Getting some reviews! Oh, and as a reader pointed out, there are slightly altered spoilers in here, so don't read on if you don't want to know about season 4. Well, for once I have nothing much to say...so...carpe diem/nocturne and happy reading. :)=  
  
Once outside the dorm room, Oz and Spike began immediately squabbling.  
"Bloody hell, Dog-Boy, what is your problem?" Spike snarled whirling on Oz.  
Oz glared back and uncharacteristically flared up, "Oh so now that you're impotent, you think let's join the Scooby Gang and kiss Willow? Don't you have...I don't know, Dru or someone to run to?"  
"You left Will all along so that I-...I mean some vicious vamp could easily attack her in her dorm room as she so beautifully pouted..." he paused and shook his head, " I mean, join the Scooby-Gang?! I hate you all!"  
"Hey, I resent that," snapped Buffy, "we take you in and feed you and this is all the thanks we get?"  
Xander, trying to ease the tension piped up, "Okay, we're the Scooby Gang, Buff would probably be Daphne, Velma...Will..."  
"Angel would..would've been Freddie..." Buffy said softly.  
"Hey, c'mon, I wanna be Freddie!" Xander whined.  
"No..I think you're more a Shaggy," Anya said thoughtfully.  
"Wait, so who would I be?" Oz asked, caught up in the discussion.  
Spike snorted, "Isn't it obvious, Dog-Boy? You'd be none other than Scooby Doo himself," on that note, he pushed past the group and with his duster over his head, marched down the hall and disappeared down the stairs.  
"I cannot believe we just had that conversation," Buffy said, her voice heavy with disgust.  
Oz shrugged, "I dunno..." he gave a wry grin "I always kind of thought Velma had a thing for Scooby Doo."  


***  


Back at Giles's house, the group, minus "Velma" hunched over the map that the former Watcher had created. He had given Oz a brief welcome back and decided not to question his return.  
_Everything happens in it's time_, he thought to himself.  
Buffy interrupted his thoughts, "So you're fairly certain that this is the way to go?"  
"Yes," Giles traced a path with his pen, "this should lead us to the hospital units where Riley is being kept. Of course, we will need some distractions and much more planning but-"  
Buffy stood, "I'm going in," she said firmly.  
"B-but you can't possibly expect to get in and out undetected-" Giles protested.  
Buffy frowned, "Will can help with computer systems...Xander has some combating experience.."  
"Buffy," Giles said softly, "I realize Riley is a personal thing but you really can't just bust in without a plan. It would be purely self destructive. Now, I understand-"  
"But do you?" Buffy said abruptly, her voice steely. With that, she picked up her purse and stalked out of the house.  
"Well, that went well..." commented Xander.  
"Oh shut up," Giles snapped back and put his head in his hands.  


***  


Willow jumped upon hearing a soft knocking at her door.   
"Oh, c-come in," she said shakily.  
Spike entered, his duster swishing behind him, "Hey..."  
"Oh...hi," she replied, avoiding his gaze.  
"Look, Red, I-I'm sorry about this..um, just...dammit! I'm not good at this whole romance thing. Just..just forget I even came in..." he turned to go.  
"No!" she blurted, "I mean, no, you don't have to leave," she amended, her voice softer.  
He looked at her long, then marched over and kissed her firmly on the lips. She could hear her heart pounding hard in her chest and her breath coming out ragged. She felt lost and confused and like she was betraying Oz.   
_Ignore it..._a voice in her head chanted.  
She inhaled deeply and obeyed, loosing herself in Spike's kiss.  
  


TBC.......  


  



	6. Default Chapter Title

A/N: Ello ello people. The usual: As much as it pains me, these characters don't belong to me, they're all Joss's. Carpe Diem/Nocturne and happy reading :)=  
  
Willow gave an inward sigh and finally pushed Spike away. He looked deep into her green eyes, his own questioning.   
"What's the matter, Red?" he asked, holding her at arm's length.  
She shook her head, "I-I'm sorry...I can't do this..." she said, avoiding his gaze.  
"Why?!" he exploded, "It's him, isn't it?"  
"Yes...and no..." she whispered, "I just need time to think..."  
He nodded, his mouth a firm line, "I see."  
Willow watched him sweep out the door and collapsed onto the bed, letting hot tears roll down her cheeks and onto her pillow.  


***  


Buffy marched onward out of Giles's, her arms crossed and her brow furrowed. She was so involved that she didn't notice the shadowy figure advancing on her in the dark until it tapped her on the shoulder. She jumped up and did a spin kick into their stomach.  
"Ump!" grunted the figure.  
"Yah!" she yelled, raising her fists, she circled the person. She gasped in shock as they stepped out into the light of the street lamp.  
"Riley!"   
"Hey, Buffy..." he said warily, "Nice kick," he added with a small, pained smile.  
"Omigod! Riley...I'm so sorry!" she gasped, running over and hugging him gently, "did I hit your wound?"  
"Yea...but I'm okay," he said, relinquishing in the warmth of her embrace.  
"I was going to come for you, " she started, "how did you get out?"  
He shrugged, scratching his head, "it still confuses me...they let me walk out."  
"Really?" she said, stepping back.  
"Yea...it was odd, I don't know what they have in mind," he said.  
"Well, c'mon, lets go back to Giles's and see what we can do," she commanded, taking his hand and leading him back down the street.  


***  


"I've never had this problem before..." Willow said with a laugh, "I mean, two guys fawning and fighting over me," she shook her head and sighed, looking into her cup of coffee. Her eyes focused back on Tara who sat attentive across the table from her, "I'm so sorry...I mean, you probably don't want to hear all this and-"  
"No, no, really...it's okay," her fellow Wiccan said with an energetic smile, "I mean, hey, what're friends for."  
Willow couldn't help but give a small smile. But her thoughts were troubled...not just about Oz and Spike, but about Buffy too. Before, it would've been her and Buffy talking like this...but she and the Slayer had seemed to have drifted apart somewhere...  
"Excuse me," Willow said, standing abruptly, "I-I have to go...didn't notice the time...I'm sorry."   
She headed toward the door of the dorm room as Tara followed, "Oh, no, it's okay, " said the blond hostess, "I understand."  
Willow nodded slightly and walked out into the cool night air, her mind flooded with thoughts and confusions.  


***  


"So...Exactly what do you have in mind?" Xander asked, carefully analyzing the werewolf. The map on the table was forgotten as Giles left the room to get some more tea.  
"I don't know...I just know that I have to get her back," replied Oz, his voice tight, "and I'm never going to give up..."  


TBC  



	7. Default Chapter Title

A/N: Ello ello once again, humans, vamps, werewolves and demons alike. The usual disclaimer: all these characters belong to Joss...*sighs dejectedly* but hell, this is fanfiction so we're going to pose and minipulate them all we want! Carpe Diem/Nocturne and Happy Reading. :)=  
  
Willow awoke the next morning a pounding in her head and at the door. She groaned and sat up, blinking sleepily and glanced over at Buffy's bed. Empty.  
_Hmm...wonder what Ms. Slayer was up to last night..._ she thought with a smirk.  
"Will?" the pounding at the door commenced after the familiar voice.  
Oz.   
"Oh! Right...knocking at door. Get door. Get door good," she stood quickly, "Lord, look at me," she sighed as she passed by the mirror.  
She undid the locks and opened the door.  
"Hey, Oz," she said softly, "um...don't take this the wrong way, but what're you doing here?"  
"I...we...got worried when you didn't show up at Giles's home like you said you would," he replied.  
"But I said I'd be there at noon and it's-" she glanced at the clock, "noon...imagine that...wow, I really overslept," she rubbed her temples.  
"Hey, I could wait for you," he said, eyes glued to his feet, "or I could just, you know, head back to Giles's...everyone's there...even Spike."   
She hesistated then smiled tightly at the mention of the vampire's name, "um...I...yea, you probably wouldn't want to wait and stuff since everyone's you know..."  
He looked up and met her gaze, "Will, I know you kissed Spike."  
She stopped her chain of babbling, mouth open, "Oh. Well..." she felt her anger rise, "it's not like I have to hide it! I mean, you left, Oz, you kissed Veruca, slutty band chic it's not like I-"  
He held a hand up to stop her, "no! No, it's not like that at all...I just want you to know that we don't have to have secrets from each other. Whatever your choice is...well, it's your choice," at the end of his statement, he let his eyes drop again.  
Willow could practically taste his pain on her tongue. She smiled, recalling their wonderful past...how much he had done for her...  
"Hey, why don't you wait here, I'll just be a moment and then we can go to Giles's together," she suggested.  
He looked back up at her and smiled his curious half smile, the one that only Willow knew meant that he was truly happy, "Okay...sounds great."  


***  


Buffy crossed and uncrossed her legs, listening to Giles's rambling on Adam's truly remarkable efforts toward learning about the systems of blah blah blah...  
"Yea, yea, why don't we just go out and kick the thing's metallic ass?" Interrupted Spike who was evidently as bored as Buffy herself. The Slayer was silently thankful for Spike's undying blunt isolence for once. It seemed the only solution to Giles's endless streams of logic and knowledge and such.  
Spike lit a cigerette-5th in the last 8 minutes, she noted to herself-and puffed a cloud of smoke it's the former watchers face.   
Politely stepping out of the smoke, Giles frowned at Spike, "yes...uh well, Spike...as tempting as this "ass kicking" sounds, we really have to focus on the fact that well, it could easily defeat Buffy, the Slayer of all things and several well trained commandos. You cannot expect to kill...er, destroy it so easily."  
Buffy nodded reluctantly, "Giles is right...this thing is dangerous. I mean, look at the damage it's done so far. It's strong, smart, ruthless and unfeeling."  
"A bad combination," Xander remarked.  
"All too true," Giles sighed, leaning on the couch, "but there's a solution to everything."  


***  


Willow, meanwhile was not feeling so optimistic as was Giles. Sitting in the passanger side of Oz's van, she felt herself compelled almost every minute to turn and gaze at his profile. Every glance sent her tumbling down memory lane all over. She pursed her lips and tried to focus on the road.  
_Initiate casual conversation_, she told herself.  
"So....um...nice weather, huh?" she blurted a little too eagerly.  
He turned and furrowed his eyesbrows, "Uh...yea. Great...great weather."  
_Stupid, stupid, stupid_, she scolded.  
"This isn't really working is it?" she finally said, "I mean, we're trying to act casual when..."  
"When what? When I want to hold you? When you're kissing Spike? When I have no clue what's going on? When I love you?" he exclaimed quite suddenly.  
She found herself at a lack of words and simply looked out the window, the tears brimming in her eyes, threatening to overflow.  
_No! No tears,_ the voice inside of her yelled.  
She felt his rough, familiar touch on her cheek, "Don't cry...I-I'm sorry," he said, "it's not like me to get emotional," he added, causing her to giggle. She felt the tears drop onto her cheeks, but the smile lightened her face, the way a rainbow does to a rainy day.  
"I missed that smile, you know," he said softly, "I dreamed about you a lot."  
"I dreamed about you too...except they were mostly nightmares...I mean, seeing you is good, but the dreams weren't much fun," she shrugged and feel silent.  
Oz cast a sideways glance at her as they pulled into Giles's driveway. The way the sun cast a warm glow over her face made him feel at peace, at home. He opened the door for her and took her hand as she stepped out of the van.  
_This. This is the way it should be..._he said silently, watching her walk to the front door. She turned and gave him a smile, "Are you coming?"  
"Yea," he said, walking toward her, "I'm coming."  


TBC  


  
  



	8. Default Chapter Title

A/N: Um...yea. Hi. Usually, ever-annoying disclaimer: These characters are all Joss's blah blah blah...Carpe diem/nocturne and happy reading. :)  
  
Spike looked up angrily at Oz as he entered the door, but his fierce glare softened noticeably as Willow walked in behind him. He purposely met her gaze and smiled a little but didn't interrupt Giles. She gave him a small smile back, but he saw something behind it...guilt?  
_Damn_, he thought to himself, feeling his soul die...well, er figuratively anyway.  
"So basically what you're saying is that we have to fight Adam by running away?" Buffy exploded in the middle of her former watcher's speech, "I mean, yes, we have to be careful but we also have to remember that we're still battling it."  
"Yes, Buffy but precautions must be taken-"  
Spike sighed and lit another cigarette, tuning the lively debate out and letting his eyes wander across the room to where Willow sat in-between Xander and Oz on the couch. Spike's face tightened at the sight of Oz lightly taking her hand. She looked up at him, surprised and smiled slightly.  
Otherwise, she seemed deeply engrossed in what her friends were saying, but he could've sworn he saw her gaze flicker across the room and at him.  
He wanted more than anything to just run over and hold her but...no. He shook his head and sighed deeply, how was it that he, Spike, William the Bloody had fallen for _her_, smart, sweet and shy college girl. Why? he asked for the nth time.  


***  


Meanwhile, deep in the forest some ways away from the warmth of Giles's home, lumbered Adam. He feared none, he was the ruler of the night, the forest. The small animals in the brush seemed to sense this and scampered away in his wake.  
He ignored them. He felt thoughts and something that could've been emotions pulsing through him...all too much. What did it all mean? Lies...all lies? Confusion and the thirst for answers drove him on.  
That female...the girl...what had Mother called her? The Slayer...what was she? What did she mean? Who was she?  
What was who?  
He threw back his head and bellowed the cry of the insane...  
_Find them. Fine answers. Kill for answers._  
Yes, that was what he must do. Find Slayer. Kill her. And get answers.  
He slowed to a stop, tilted his head in an animal like way, then changed direction and sauntered on.   


***  


Willow felt rather guilty about her conversation with Oz after kissing Spike. But that wasn't cheating, so why did she feel so remorseful? She sighed to herself and knew...it was the feeling she got from Oz. The sensation that she was once again sinking back into that familiar feeling of heart-racing-palm-sweating love.  
_How highschool_, she thought to herself with a smirk.  
Buffy watched her friend while she pretended to be hanging on Giles's every word. She had figured of course, that there would be some tension between her and the two...people, for lack of a better word. But is seemed that before that Willow would come to her and spill her troubles and they would both take time out of their insane lives to focus on something almost trivial and relatively normal.  
_Though most _normal_ girls wouldn't be torn between a werewolf and a vamp_, Buffy reminded herself cynically.  
"..so in short, I do think that there is much cause for worry over this, Buffy," Giles said turning to her, something fatherly in his eyes.  
Buffy smiled slightly, thanking him with her own gaze, "Yea...Well, it's dark, I'm gonna jet. Do the usual Slayer thing and patrol."  
"Hey, I'll come with you," Riley stood, trying to hide the intense pain from his injury.  
"Ah ah, no way, mister. You're staying here and healing," Buffy replied firmly.  
Xander imitated the sound of a whip cracking, "you sock it to him, Buff."  
"Shut up, Xander," she said good-naturedly.  
"I should come," Riley protested, equally firmly, "I mean, Adam was created by the Initiative...I almost feel like I'm responsible in part."  
"And I feel like I'm responsible for making sure you don't get killed just when you're starting to heal," Buffy shot back. She gently pushed him back onto the couch and covered him gently with a blanket, "Now stay here."  
"Uh, Buffy, Riley does bring up a good point. You could use some back-up," Giles said, interrupting the tender moment.  
"I've got my good buddy Mr. Blaster," she replied, holstering the now-fixed gadget that Xander had repaired by way of much help from Riley. She caught Giles's look and nodded, "um...why don't you come, Xander, I could use the military knowledge," at this, Anya looked as though she might speak against it, but Xander silenced her with a look, "and Will...well, we could use the general knowledge,"  
Both Spike and Oz stood at this.  
"Absolutely not," Spike said.  
"Why?" Oz asked, anger behind his voice.  
"What...you don't think I can take care of myself?" demanded Willow, standing and trying to look tough, "I can handle Adam as well as the next...defenseless human being,"  
"And that would involve what? Running in the opposite direction or being gutted or both?" Spike retorted.  
"Hey, how come no one protested this much for me?" Xander asked.  
"Oh, like we care about you," snapped the vampire, brushing him aside.  
"Oh, great, thanks," Xander muttered.  
"Look, I'll be fine.." Willow said, half laughing at how ridiculous this situation was, "I can do spells and plus I can run pretty fast," she added with a comforting smile.  
"Then I'm coming," both Spike and Oz said in unison, then in equal unison, they turned and looked at one another, "no you're not." They both turned to look at the rest of the group as if being judged.  
"Look, both of you have strength...but Spike, I don't know if you could fight Adam. He's half human...I don't know what the result would be and Oz...well, we don't need another person, and we can't have you two fighting each other on the way."  
"Buffy, your rational really doesn't make much sense, wouldn't it be better to leave Willow here to do some spells on Adam's activity or perhaps hack into Initiative systems to find out more about him?" Giles intoned sensibly.  
Buffy hesitated, yes, of course Giles was correct, so why had she chosen Willow to come along? To her surprise she realized she had wanted to spend some quality spill-your-guts-laugh-over-guys time with her friend.  
_Of course, with Oz, there hasn't been much laughing lately..._  
She felt guilt was over her as she realized the peril she had almost put her friend into.  
"Yes, of course Giles...um, Riley, you need to heal, Xander, you're still with me, Anya, you help Giles research, Will stay and check computer records and do some spells, Spike and Oz...you're both with me," she sighed, "and no arguing," she added as they began to protest, "now come on."  
As she lead her rather ragtag team of would-be demon hunters and possibly demon fighters out the door, she watched with amusement as Spike cornered Willow and talked gently with her for a moment before kissing her hand and sweeping past Oz with a smirk on his face. But the werewolf retaliated and simply walked over to Willow and cupping her chin in his hand, kissed her gently on the lips before she could even react. As he met up with the group, Buffy noticed, and definitely didn't like, the look that Spike gave Oz or vice versa.   


***  


"...stop snapping those branches into my face on purpose, you bugger," snarled Spike.  
"Oh. Sorry, didn't mean to," Oz replied, his voice and face as always, neutral.  
Spike grumbled something under his breath.  
_Probably unspeakable curses_, Buffy thought to herself.  
"So exactly what are we looking for?" Xander asked, toying with the blaster.  
"Don't play with that," Buffy said automatically, looking over her shoulder to watch Oz and Spike still squabbling. They caught up with she and Xander and she could hear their conversation.  
"She doesn't want you, you know," Spike said bluntly in Oz's face.  
Oz looked back up at him, cocked his head to the side and for a moment looked like he might strike out with his fist, but Xander interrupted.  
"Hey, will you two stop it? We have something a little more important to focus on," Xander snapped over his shoulder.  
Buffy froze in her footsteps suddenly, every part of her alert, listening hard, "Yea. And from the noise it's making in the bushes, it sounds like it's coming closer...."  


***  



	9. Default Chapter Title

A/N: Almost reaching the end of my story! Sorry, my 2 faithful readers/reviewers, but as they say, all good things must come to an end (which is why Buffy is only an hour long). The usual disclaimer: These people don't belong to me, they're completely, totally Joss's but this is fanfiction so we can manipulate them! :)p Carpe Diem/Nocturne and Happy Reading. :)=  
  
Buffy raised the blaster, realizing she had stopped breathing. She felt her body tense, every fiber of her alert at the approaching sound in the bushes. She felt the usual drum of adrenaline surging through her body.  
Shooting a glance over her shoulder, she saw that Xander has a cross bow aimed at the rustling bushes. Even Spike and Oz had stopped their heated arguing and were now focused on the brush. She nodded approvingly as Spike vamped out, something she never thought she'd be glad to see.  


***  


Willow closed her eyes, concentrating hard on what she was trying to zero in on. She sensed....darkness...hate...death....  
The usual demon feelings. But something was missing, something was gone...  
Fear.  
Her eyes flew open and she collapsed onto the ground, scattering her bowl of ingredients all over.  
Giles and Anya quickly dropped their books and rushed over. Riley struggled to sit up but fell back onto the couch with a moan of pain.  
"Willow! Are you okay?" Giles asked anxiously, helping her up.  
"Y-yes..." she began slowly, "but the others aren't...there's something out there, it's disturbing the demons...they're different. They've changed...they don't fear anymore...it's terrible. Their confidence and hatred...it's just overwhelming..." she felt tears welling up in her eyes for some reason and her head felt heavy and it seemed like the room was spinning, "I know the spell that may be able to stop Adam...it's risky, but we have no choice..."  
"You should call Tara to come and help you with this spell...it's quite a lot of work for just one-" Giles began, flipping through her spell book.  
"There's no more time," Willow answered breathlessly, "the others...there's just something wrong with the demons I feel...they won't stop...I've got to warn them," she quickly pulled on her jacket and grabbed a bag of crosses and holy water. She paused and opened a box of spell supplies and pulled out several select items. She gave Giles and Anya a brave smile.  
"See you if I live," she said.  
"Now Willow, you can't possibly think of going out there by your-" Giles protested.  
"Giles, those people are my friends...They've always been there for me. Buffy and Xander have stood by me....And one of them, okay, maybe two of them I love. I just don't know who's for me and who's not, but I'm not going to sit around and let them die before I can find out," she said, a fire burning in her eyes that Giles had never seen, "I've got to go...thanks Giles, you....you're almost like a dad," she added softly. Casting a small smile at Anya she said, "I'll make sure Xander doesn't do anything stupid." With that, she exited the house and quietly closed the door behind her. Giles and Anya looked at one another, fear for their friends apparent on their faces. Riley sighed heavily and gazed at both of them.  
_I should be out there...it's my fault if Buffy dies..._ he thought angrily.  


***  


Buffy whirled around, hearing panting behind her. The sound in the brush stopped abruptly.  
"Will?" she said, hardly believing her eyes, "what the hell are you doing here?"  
"I had to come...warn...you...the demons, they're not the same. Something's changed them all. Something-"  
"Something called me," rumbled a deep voice to the right of them all.  
They all whipped around and took in the vision. The tall, towering badly mutilated figure, pieces of metal and flesh-both demon and human-welded together. But worst of all, the wicked grinning mouth, positioned so smugly and firmly that they knew he feared nothing.  
"Adam..." Buffy hissed.   
_Dammit! I should've known! _  
Tseewww!  
Xander jerked as the blaster he shot kicked back into him. Adam easily dodged the badly aimed blast as Xander was given a zap of electricity from the gun.  
"Ahhh!!!" he screamed, "well that was just dumb," he added, shaking the broken blaster. Adam brushed him out of the way with a ham sized fist and knocked him over.  
Spike let out a growl and charged forward toward Adam, catching him by surprise in the stomach. Adam quickly recovered and knocked the vamp aside with an easy blow. Spike managed to turn and spin away, landing unceremoniously on the grass several yards away.   
Oz rushed over but was easily deflected by the humanoid. He fell to the ground and rolled over, bringing himself back to a crouching position. Willow gasped and rushed to his side.  
Buffy let out a cry and charged forward, her fists flying. Adam simply jerked back with an arm and caught the Slayer in the face, sending her sailing into a tree. She flipped onto her feet, a trickle of blood running down her face but her fists ready.  
"You're a strong one. I'm almost sorry that I have to kill you," Adam snarled. She boldly advanced and caught him in the flesh of his midsection with a round house kick. He laughed and responded with a kick of his own, sending her flying nearly 10 feet across the dirt. She slammed her head into a rock and this time lay still.  
"Buffy!" shrieked Willow, her face contorted in anguish. She ran over to her fallen friend.   
Spike stood, brushing himself off and growled at Adam, ready to attack again.  
"Stop," Adam commanded firmly. Spike was taken back by his firm tone.  
"What?" snarled Spike, glaring.  
"You. You are Hostile 17," Adam paused to insert a disk into his chest, "you've had a Aldf-45 brain chip implanted into you," he stopped letting it sink in, "I could take that chip out you know...if you'd join me."  
Spike stopped, staring hard at Adam, "What do you mean?"  
Adam leered, "join me and you'll be free.." he held out his mutilated hand toward Spike.   
The vampire looked at it, then back at the beast and licked his lips, mind racing...  


TBC  


  
  
  



	10. Default Chapter Title

A/N: Okay, we've reached the final chapter, the grand finale, the wrap up, the exciting conclusion...Yes, I'll shut up now. Well, I want to thank the 2-3 people *hint hint* who actually bothered to review my previous installments, *clap clap*. Um, few things to say about this last chapter. Well, for one, I'm not sure how well I am at writing battle scenes, but they make up a lot of this story. Feedback about that is much desired. Also, I am not Wiccan, I don't know much about the religion though I've looked up tidbits on it. However, lets face it, you can't exactly find "Wicca Spells: how to kill mutant beasts/robots set on killing anything they can get their paws on" on the Internet. Or anywhere for that matter. Again, feedback on this topic would be appreciated. Also, I know that some-many of you may not be happy with the romantic outcome of the story but hey, feedback is always welcome (::coughHINTHINTcough::) You know what, I'll just shut up because this note is getting longer than my story (and the lot of you have probably stopped reading it) so you can just read the damn thing and REVIEW it PLEASE! I'm begging you here, people. Happy reading, Carpe Diem/Nocturne and THANK YOU AND I LOVE YOU ALL, (Dearly, not queerly) :)=  
  
"What?" Spike demanded, feeling the warm blood running out of the gash on his forehead and down his pale face. He quickly wiped it away and faced Adam with his face proud.  
"I have the power, the capacity to take out that chip that is lodged in your brain," Adam paused, a cruel smile on his face, "it's what you want, isn't it...more than anything...anyone?" he added, leering.  
Spike paused, licking his lips. The whole clearing seemed to be standing still, waiting for him to decide, the world on pause. He looked briefly over the group that surrounded him, anticipating his every word and move...  
Oz, he didn't really have anything against him before the argument...but now?  
Xander, well, he didn't really care much for him...never had...  
The Slayer. Buffy. She lay on the grass, struggling to get up, pale, bleeding from the head...she had nearly killed him so many times...   
Willow was kneeled nearby, fear but determination on her face. He gazed at her, pain in his eyes. She looked back at him, pleading. He felt his heart jump.   
Looking away from her, he saw Xander slowly crawling toward the blaster. Spike gave a slight nod in his direction and knew what he had to do. A small, roughish smirk played on his lips as he turned back to Adam.   
"So, you'll take this chip out of my brain if I follow you?" He said, his voice and face deeply interested.   
"Spike, no!" Willow cried out, her face twisted with the pain of betrayal.  
"Yes," Adam growled, "so, will you join me?"  
Spike vamped out quite suddenly, his razor sharp teeth tearing his own lip viciously as he grinned, "sorry, Adam, as tempting as that offer is, I don't think I can accept it."  
With the element of surprise on his side, he quickly spun around and kicked Adam square in the chest, knocking his backwards. At that moment, Xander leapt up, blaster in hand and fired, managing to shock and knock down himself but seemed to have no affect on his mutant target.  
"You idiot!" Spike hollered at the dazed looking Xander, seeing the colour of the taser blast, "that was the tranquilizer setting!"  
Adam's laugh was like stones grating together, "you think you can harm me with a tranquilizer blast? Or even a blast at all?! You forget who made me...who I am," with a sudden roar, he knocked Xander to the ground. He looked at Spike and returned the smirk, "well, it's a pity you don't want to join me, but that's okay, I don't really need you..." then, suddenly he stood tall and bellowed into the forest about them, "attack!"  
To the groups shock, dozens of vamps and demons poured out from behind trees and bushes, seeming to have almost materialized out of thin air.   
Buffy grabbed a stake from her coat and dusted the nearest vamp and engaged in a rough fight with a demon who grabbed her from behind.  
Willow made do by snapping a branch off a nearby tree and plunging it into the chest of an attacking vamp. She gasped as 5 others began to advance on her but Xander leaped in front of her with a large cross. They quickly recoiled.  
"Thanks," she breathed as he placed the cross firmly in her hand and went off quickly to help Oz who was having some troubles of his own.   
Spike seemed to be having heated arguments with the vampires that he was battling and Willow watched in satisfaction as he plunged a stake deep into the chest of one of his foes.  
"Yah!" Buffy yelled as she bravely attacked Adam. She pummeled his torso with her powerful fists but he simply snatched her up by the shoulder and push her violently away. She bit her lip and held the new gash in her arm but leaped up and kicked back powerfully.   
Oz leaped to her assistance but caught a blow from Adam in the chin and was thrown to the ground. He rolled over and kicked an advancing vamp in the chest and staked him as he struggled to his feet.  
The Slayer continued her persistent punches but Adam gave a growl of anger and shoved her right into a large tree. Her eyes rolled back in her head, exhaustion from her profuse bleeding and constant beatings overtaking her body. She slumped down to ground with a soft gasp.  
Spike continued sparring with various demons. But now that the Slayer, the real problem, had fallen Adam turned to Spike. The two looked at each other with fierce eyes before engaging in their own fight. Willow watched helplessly as Spike was tossed down like a rag doll, time and time again.  
Willow whipped around, her eyes panicked. Her friends were all falling one by one...and what could she do? Nothing? No. The spell? Not yet...something told her to wait for the best moment..._"the heat of the battle, when all is evened"_ the book had said. But her friends needed help now...  
She looked about her more closely and seized a fallen branch, the closest remotely hard object near her. She took it, ran up and rather lamely pounded Adam on the back with it. He turned at her with a grimace and lashed out with one of the spearlike retractable bones in his arm. She yelped and jumped back. The blade barely grazed her cheek but drew blood.   
She stumbled away as a vampire, drawn by the blood ran toward her. Spike kicked him suddenly from behind, sending him crashing down on a tree branch. With a cry, the beast was reduced to dust. She grabbed his arm and pulled him close to her.  
"Look, I've a spell that may stop Adam...but I need you to keep the vamps and demons off of me until I can complete it, okay? I need to be in the middle of the action to perform it."   
He had never heard her this firm, her voice this urgent. He nodded sharply, "be careful," he added.  
"If I'm careful, we won't live," she snapped back. She sat down boldly in the center of the turned battlefield and carefully arranged five beautifully polished but dull and lifeless charms about her. She hesitated, then closed her eyes and began to slowly chant the incantation. The stones about her began to glow softly, then brightly. They slowly rose into the air, humming and spinning about her until they looked more like blurry lights than anything.  
Her voice grew louder and louder in her mind and the battle scene about her was spinning or maybe she was spinning and quite suddenly the noise was completely blocked out.   
She jerked forward and opened her eyes and saw a flash of brilliant white and felt a violent blast of heat on her skin. Someone screamed and then all went black.  


***  


Warmth. Something liquid and warm was slowly dripping down her brow. She opened her eyes slowly, hearing someone moaning and discovering it was herself. She gazed about at the carnage surrounding her and bolted up. Her friends...were they okay?   
In panic, she managed to stand. She saw nothing but small piles of dust and badly mutated demon bodies, a good thing, but where were her friends? If she something had happened to them...she gasped as she came across a huge blown out section of the ground. There was nothing left but the grass and plants about it looked badly scorched. She smiled grimly to herself. Just as the book had described. The leader dead as well as the followers. The spell had worked and now Adam existed no more...  
"Will, are you okay?"   
She jumped at the sound of the familiar voice.   
"Buffy," she cried, running over to her friend and hugging her tightly, "you're okay...I was so worried and I-" she stopped, unable to continue speaking.  
Buffy smiled, limping and nodded, "I know, I feel the same way..." the two girls gazed over the dead demon bodies, stakes and other various weaponry and body parts laying around.   
The Slayer gazed at the huge gap in the earth and looked at her friend, eyes wide, "Adam...you killed him?"  
Willow shuddered, feeling something welling up deep inside of her. Buffy touched her arm, "I didn't mean to-"  
At the edge of the scene, something suddenly stirred. Buffy reached for a nearby stake but Willow recognized the moan.  
"Xander?" she looked at him, bruised and bloody but very much alive, "you're alive," she whispered happily, running over and embracing him and Buffy both. Then a thought hit her, "what about the other two? What if I killed them?!" Her voice was high and nearly hysterical, "I knew I shouldn't have done that spell! What if I-"  
He shook his head firmly and looked at her, "You can't blame yourself. You did what you had to. And I bet they're fine. I just don't know...Buffy, woke me up with her talking..."  
"But Spike and Oz?!" she persisted, pulling on his arm.  
"I didn't exactly see much during my state of unconsciousness, but if Spike didn't make it, I guess that means we won't have much to look for..." he sighed heavily. Willow pulled away from him and stumbled across the clearing, her head buzzing.  
A sudden, raspy cough startled her. She saw a figure slumped by a tree and ran toward it, leaving Buffy and Xander staring after her.  
"Oz!" Willow shrieked. She ran over to him, tears in her eyes. He hacked up blood.  
"Oh no, please, no..." she bent over him and gently rolled him over onto his back. He looked up at her and smiled weakly.   
"Don't worry...no lung damage, just lots of nasty scrapes and bruises and badly cut tongue," he soothed, sticking it out slightly with a smile to show her.  
She tried not to cry, feeling so much overwhelming relief to see him okay.   
"I don't look that bad do I?" Oz joked softly. He lifted a hand hesitant then gently began to stroke her hair. Her tears of relief fell onto him but he didn't bother to brush them away.  
"No, you look great," she finally whispered back. She closed her eyes briefly, feeling his fingers stroking her cheek. So familiar...so right. She felt momentary bliss. This was what she wanted, what she needed....  
"G-d, Will, I love you," he said, emotion breaking through on his face.  
She felt hot tears rolling down her cheeks and she gazed into his hazy eyes, "I love you too," she whispered softly, breaking down and kissing his hard on the lips, "I always will..."  
Presently, she felt the eyes of someone else on her back. She slowly turned, blinking in the dark of early morning.  
"Spike..." she whispered. But no regret struck her, just...guilt. She stood, gently stroking Oz's hair. He nodded and gestured toward Spike,  
"Go to him," he croaked.  
Willow nodded subconsciously and walked toward the vampire, her eyes wet with fresh tears that she couldn't explain. He gazed at her, looking deep into her. She stopped in front of him, head bent down.  
"I'm sorry," she said simply. He nodded slightly and looked down with her.  
"I...I just-" she began, feeling as though she should say something.  
"No," he said softly, cutting her off, "don't explain. I know."  
She nodded numbly and brushed the hot tears away. He hesitated, looking toward the horizon, "almost dawn, I've gotta go..."  
"Go?" she repeated, "are you leaving?"  
"Nothing for me here now," he said ruefully, "the Slayer's right..Sunnydale isn't my town. There's the whole world I've got to explore. Maybe I'll catch up with Dru, see how things went with that fungus demon..."  
"But the implant-" she stuttered.  
"Fuck it. I can manage, hey, I've put up with your damn Scooby gang long enough," he replied callously. He smiled at her and gently cupped his cold hand beneath her chin so that their eyes met, "I love you, Red," he said evenly. He hesitated a moment, eyes focused on her lips but finally he just took his hand away from her face.  
She pursed her lips as he turned and slowly began to saunter away.  
"Spike!" she cried out. He turned and gazed at her, "thanks," she said softly, not certain why.  
He smiled slightly and nodded. Then he continued on his way, duster swishing behind him.  
Willow watched him become smaller and smaller in her eyes, then eventually disappear, gone forever, perhaps, swallowed by the skyline.  
Slowly, she walked back to Oz and helped him sit up so they could watch the sunrise together in silence.   
Xander came up behind them and collapsed in a heap nearby, moaning in pain and exhaustion. Buffy joined him, not moaning quite so much about the pain but rather, Xander's complaints.  
Will gazed around her with a small smile. The Scooby Gang. Okay, so some people were missing and perhaps that would be how it always was...but in her heart she felt only peace at the moment.  
She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly, feeling the warmth of the blazing rising sun on her face...  
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Oz said in her ear.  
"Mmm..." she nodded, opening her verdant eyes and smiling as he held her close, "it is."   


***  


PS: Yes, sorry me again, ruining the feeble mood that I did/didn't manage to create. I had another small part to go after this to make it more conclusive. Should I add it? TELL ME! :)=  



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